Oxidation catalysts similar to those of the invention are known although the catalysts of the invention have a different composition from any of the catalysts in the art. The catalysts of the invention are prepared according to techniques that are generally applicable to the catalysts of the art.
The oxidation reactions in which these catalysts are especially suitable are well known. Broadly, these reactions are a vapor phase reaction using the solid catalyst of the invention. The reactants are passed over the catalyst in the presence of molecular oxygen at an elevated temperature to obtain the desired product.